Golf bag with cushioned contact pocket

ABSTRACT

A golf bag apparatus is in the form of a cylindrical, elongated bag, with an open top end for receiving golf clubs. The bag provides an outer surface with carrying strap for carrying the elongated bag. The carrying strap is fixed at two longitudinally spaced apart points, to the outer surface of the bag. A pocket is mounted on the outer surface of the bag at one side of the carrying strap and in a position, such that with the bag suspended from a shoulder or shoulders of a person carrying the bag, the pocket is in a position for contacting a hip area or a buttocks area of the person carrying the bag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates generally to golf bags and similar equipment and more particularly to a golf bag with a protruding pocket placed in a position for contact with the bag carrier.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] The following art defines the present state of this field:

[0005] Dunn, U.S. Pat. No. D348,567 describes a golf bag design.

[0006] Beebe et al., U.S. Pat. No. D387,556 describes a golf bad with dual shoulder straps.

[0007] Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 2,853,111 describes a golf bag comprising a longitudinal body member for receiving golf clubs, two carrying straps fastened to said body member, one of said straps being located on each side of the transverse center of said body member, the ends of each strap being fastened to the outside of the bag in spaced relationship with each other, one end of said body member being open to permit entry of said golf clubs into said body member, and a plurality of resilient members attached to said body member at said open end in general parallel relationship with each other each of said resilient members having a plurality of slots therethrough, each slot having a first portion of sufficient size to receive the shaft of a club and a narrow open throat of such size that the club shaft may be forced therethrough into the first portion, each of said throats being open at the side opposite the first portion and all of said throats facing in an upward direction when the bag is being carried by the straps.

[0008] Izzo, U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,703 describes a dual shoulder strap assembly for a golf bag having first and second strap members connected in end-to-end relation to one another along one side of the golf bag, a handle grip interconnecting adjoining ends of the strap members, and circumferential loops serve to connect opposite extreme ends of the first and second strap members to the golf bag in such a way as to maintain the bag in centered relation against the back of the carrier when the straps are passed over the shoulders. The upper and lower extreme ends of the strap members are self-adjusting circumferentially, and the adjoining ends between the strap members are interconnected in such a way as to maintain the strap members in an elevated position so that the bag can be easily lifted off the ground and more easily placed on the shoulders of the carrier.

[0009] Izzo, U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,984 describes a golf bag having a support strap assembly that allows carriage by a person. The strap assembly includes a first strap having one strap end secured to the golf bag at a first location at its upper, open end, and the other strap end is secured to the golf bag at a second location longitudinally spaced from the first location. A second strap has one end secured to the golf bag at the second location, and the other strap end is secured to the golf bag at a third location longitudinally spaced from the second location between the second location and the closed end of the golf bag. The ends secured at the second location are preferably attached to one another to form a central portion for the strap assembly. The two straps thus allow the golf bag to be carried on both shoulders and oriented transversely across the back. Various mounts are described for these two straps, and different adjustment and padding structures are disclosed.

[0010] Steurer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,205 describes a golf bag in the form of a tubular receptacle with a handle thereon having a dual-loop two-point shoulder strap for engaging both shoulders of an individual carrying the golf bag. The shoulder strap, in one embodiment, has a single elongated belt with mutually opposed belt ends. One belt end and a first portion of the belt between the belt ends is connected to a first point on a golf bag and defines a first loop through which an individual inserts one arm to support the golf bag at least partially on one shoulder. The other belt end and a second portion of the belt between the belt ends is connected to a second point on the golf bag and defines a second loop through which an individual inserts another arm to support the golf bag at least partially on another shoulder.

[0011] The prior art teaches the use of golf bags with pockets for equipment and clothing items, but does not teach a protruding pocket nor a pocket placed specifically in relationship with the carrying strap so that the pocket will contact the carriers torso in preference to other portions of the bag's surface. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

[0013] A golf bag apparatus is in the form of a cylindrical, elongated bag, with an open top end for receiving golf clubs. The bag provides an outer surface with carrying strap for carrying the elongated bag. The carrying strap is fixed at two longitudinally spaced apart points, to the outer surface of the bag. A pocket is mounted on the outer surface of the bag at one side of the carrying strap and in a position, such that with the bag suspended from a shoulder or shoulders of a person carrying the bag, the pocket is in a position for contacting a hip area or a buttocks area of the person carrying the bag.

[0014] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.

[0015] Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of being carried with a hood pocket in contact with the carrier.

[0016] A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of providing a rain hood pocket positioned such that the rain hood helps cushion contact between the bag and the person carrying it.

[0017] A still further objective is to provide such an invention wherein the carrying strap, method of mounting the bag on the shoulder or shoulders of the person carrying the bag, and the juxtaposition between the strap and a rain hood pocket provide for improved comfort in carrying the bag.

[0018] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:

[0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention showing how the invention is slung over one shoulder by a carrying strap of the invention; and

[0021]FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof showing how the invention is slung over both shoulders by a carrying strap of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention in at least one of its preferred embodiments, which is further defined in detail in the following description.

[0023] A golf bag apparatus comprises a cylindrical, elongated bag 10 of the type that has an open top end 12 for receiving golf clubs (not shown) as is well known in the golf industry. The bag 10 provides an outer surface 14 as can be seen in the figures. A carrying strap 20, of the types that are well known, is provided for carrying the elongated bag 10. This strap 20 is fixed in at least two longitudinally spaced apart points, 22, 24, to the outer surface 14 of the bag 10 by hardware and fastening systems that are well known. A pocket 30 is mounted on the outer surface 14 of the bag 10 at one side of the carrying strap 20, and this may be to the right or left of the strap 20 as desired. The pocket 30 is in a position, such that with the bag suspended from a shoulder, as with a single strap type carrying strap, or shoulders, as with a harness type carrying strap, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively, the pocket 30 is in a position where it contacts a hip area or a buttock area of the person carrying the bag. These are illustrated in the figures. It should be noted, and as shown in the figures that a larger pocket is located below the pocket 30. This larger pocket is found on most modern golf bags and is generally used to store clothing items and possibly street shoes while on the golf course. In the prior art golf bags there is no sufficiently large pocket to store a golf bag rain hood except this larger clothing pocket. This is unfortunate since the rain hood takes up significant valuable storage room within the clothing pocket thereby limiting the bulk of clothing items that may be carried with the golf bag. The present invention overcomes this problem by providing pocket 30 in addition to the clothing pocket. Pocket 30 is of sufficient size to accept the rain hood and the hood provides added cushioning so that the golf bag is not irritating to the golfer due to impacts with the golfer during walking the course.

[0024] Preferably, the pocket 30 has a padding layer 32, such as a sheet of foam rubber fixedly mounted within the pocket, for softening the contact between the pocket and the hip or buttock area of the person carrying the bag. Preferably, the pocket 30 is adapted, by its size and shape, as shown in the figures, for receiving a rain hood 40 for use with the elongated bag 10. The rain hood, when mounted within the pocket 30 provides added padding and cushioning with respect to body contact between the bag and the carriers body. Preferably, the outer surface 35 of the pocket 30 extends outwardly from the outer surface 14 of the bag 10 so that the pocket 30 will contact the carrier preferentially to other portions of the bag 10. It should be noted that the pocket surface 35 is generally positioned in parallel with the surrounding surface 14 but protrudes outwardly from the surface 14. The pocket 30 is preferably positioned approximately 5 inches from the top end of the bag (see distance “A” in FIG. 2) and has a longitudinal length (see distance “B” in FIG. 2) of at least 9 inches. One edge of the pocket 30 is generally aligned with one of the strap mounting points. It has been found that when the pocket has been so positioned and sized, the pocket is in contact with the bag carrier when the bag is carried as shown in the figures, which is a conventional approach.

[0025] The present invention further comprises a method of carrying a golf bag of the type defined above and this comprises: providing the cylindrical, elongated bag 10, open at a top end 12; fixing the carrying strap 20 to the outer surface 14 of the bag 10 at the two longitudinally spaced apart points 22, 24; mounting the pocket 30 on the outer surface 14 of the bag 10 at one side of the carrying strap 20; and suspending the bag 10 from at least one shoulder of a person carrying the bag 10, in a position whereby the pocket 30 contacts the person carrying the bag 10 at either the hip or buttock areas of the torso. The method further comprises lining at least one portion of the pocket 30 with a padding layer 32 for softening the contact between the pocket 30 and the person carrying the bag 10. The method further comprises adapting the pocket 30 for receiving the rain hood 40 of the elongated bag 10 within the pocket 30. The method further comprises the step of extending a cover surface 35 of the pocket 30 outwardly from the outer surface 14 of the bag 10 so as to be in position to preferentially contact the torso of the carrier when the bag 10 is being carried.

[0026] While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf bag apparatus comprising: a generally cylindrical, elongated bag, the bag open at a top end thereof for receiving golf clubs, the bag providing an outer surface; a carrying strap for carrying the elongated bag, the carrying strap fixed at, at least, two longitudinally spaced apart points to the outer surface of the bag; and a pocket mounted on the outer surface of the bag in line with at least one of the spaced apart points and to one side of the carrying strap; the pocket and carrying strap set in such mutually relative juxtaposition as to place the pocket in contact with a person's hip when the carrying strap is slung over the person's shoulder for carrying the bag in a generally sideward position on the person.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pocket comprises a padding layer for softening the contact between the pocket and the hip area of the person carrying the bag.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pocket is adapted for receiving a rain hood of the elongated bag, the rain hood providing a functional cushioning.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a cover of the pocket extends outwardly from the outer surface of the bag and is positioned approximately 5 inches from the top end of the bag and has a longitudinal length of approximately 9 inches.
 5. A golf bag apparatus comprising: a generally cylindrical, elongated bag, the bag open at a top end thereof for receiving golf clubs, the bag providing an outer surface; a carrying strap for carrying the elongated bag, the carrying strap fixed at, at least two, longitudinally spaced apart points to the outer surface of the bag; and a pocket mounted on the outer surface of the bag, in line with at least one of the spaced apart points and at one side of the carrying strap; the pocket and carrying strap set in such mutually relative juxtaposition as to place the pocket in contact with a person's buttock when the carrying strap is slung over both of the person's shoulders for carrying the bag in a generally rearward position on the person.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the pocket comprises a padding for softening the contact between the pocket and the buttock area of the person carrying the bag.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the pocket is adapted for receiving a rain hood of the elongated bag, the rain hood providing a functional cushioning.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a cover of the pocket extends outwardly from the outer surface of the bag and is positioned approximately 5 inches from the top end of the bag and has a longitudinal length of approximately 9 inches.
 9. A method of carrying a golf bag comprising the steps of: providing a cylindrical, elongated bag, the bag open at a top end thereof for receiving golf clubs, the bag providing an outer surface; fixing a carrying strap to the outer surface of the elongated bag at two longitudinally spaced apart points; mounting a pocket on the outer surface of the bag, in line with one of the spaced apart points and at one side of the carrying strap; and suspending the bag from at least one shoulder of a person carrying the bag, in a position whereby the pocket contacts a portion of the torso of the person carrying the bag.
 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of lining at least one portion of the pocket with a padding for softening the contact between the pocket and the person carrying the bag.
 11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of adapting the pocket for receiving a rain hood of the elongated bag.
 12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of extending a cover of the pocket outwardly from the outer surface of the bag. 